


Saturn's light

by karmicMayhem



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders RPF
Genre: Cookies, Cute, Fluff, Gen, space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 12:25:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14044236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karmicMayhem/pseuds/karmicMayhem
Summary: The others decide to check in on Logan after a tough day. What they find is not what they expected.





	Saturn's light

 

Virgil bit his lip and shifted the blanket in his grip once more, letting the soft texture soothe him slightly, before giving up and turning to Patton. The other side was folding a load of clothes methodically. Virgil was almost positive he did it just because it relaxed him. Today had been stressful for all of them. More so for Logan than anyone else. He had retired to his room hours ago and hadn’t been heard from since. 

 

That wasn’t particularly unusual for him, though. Logan had been known to stay in his room for days at a time, working on projects or experiments or writing all of Thomas’s schedules for the week. He had is own coffee pot in there, so he seemed to possess no other reason to leave his room. Today, though, had seemed to be especially tiring for him.

 

“Patton.” Virgil said, waving his hand slightly to get Patton’s attention. He watched Patton startle slightly, having been caught up in his own thoughts. He had asked Virgil to help him fold clothes, but it seemed that he mostly just wanted his company.

 

“Yes, Virgil?”

 

“Have you seen Roman?”

 

Patton cocked his head to the side, mildly confused about the question. “I think I saw him in the kitchen last. Why do you ask, kiddo?”

 

Virgil shrugged. “Dunno. I just thought someone should go check on Logan or something. And we’re busy folding clothes here, so I thought we could send him or whatever.”

 

Roman chose that moment to walk in. “As much as I love you signing me up for things, maybe just ask me directly next time, Virge.” He strolled over and flopped down on the couch next to Patton.

 

Virgil rolled his eyes. “That was the next step, Royal pain in the-”

 

“Okay!” Patton cut in. “How about we _all_ go check on Logan?” he clapped his hands together and looked at them both with excitement.

 

“Well I’m certainly not going alone. Logan doesn’t seem to like it when I go in his room.” Roman replied with his hands on his hips.

 

Virgil raised an eyebrow. “That’s because you burst in last time without permission to yell about an idea you had at three in the morning.”

 

“It was a good idea!” The creative side pouted.

 

“ _Three in the morning_.” Virgil reiterated. “You’re lucky you got away with just a book thrown at your head, Princey.”

 

“ _Alright_ kiddos, let’s stop bickering and go check on Teach. I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies earlier, so let’s bring him some. He won't admit it, but I know he loves them.” He grinned and waved his hand. A picnic basket appeared in his grasp, presumably storing the aforementioned cookies.

 

They made their way to Logan's room, the logical side’s dwelling slightly separated from the rest of their rooms. Patton knocked on the door. “Logan?” he called.

 

They waited for a few moments with no reply. Virgil’s brow furrowed. This time _he_ reached forward and knocked on the door, a bit harder than Patton had. Still no response.

 

“We should check on him.” Virgil finally said. “It’s weird for him not to have answered by now.”

 

They opened the door, thankfully unlocked, and entered.

 

“Uh.”

 

“Whoa…”

 

Logan’s room was the same, minus the wall at the far end of the room, which now appeared to be _missing_. In its place was a large expanse of grass, leading into a field stretching far into the distance. A light breeze wafted in gently, bringing the smell of rain and plant life in.

 

They exchanged surprised glances before stepping forward. “Princey, did your room connect to his or something?” Virgil asked.

 

Roman shook his head. “No, and believe me, I would know if it did. Besides, this place is _severely_ lacking in the fantasy department. Not a single fairy in sight, even.” He glanced around in confusion.

 

“Well I don’t know about that.” Patton giggled. “After all, these little guys sure do seem a little fairy-like.”

 

They turned to look at him, and sure enough there was a little firefly resting gently on his finger, emitting a softly flashing light. Virgil blinked in surprise. “What…?” he began, as thoughts began to fill his mind the longer he looked at it.

 

No, not thoughts.

 

_Facts._

 

 _Fireflies, also called lightning bugs._ _Lampyridae being the correct scientific term for them._ _Bioluminescent creatures that flash their lights to attract a possible mate._

 

The insect flew away and the information stopped. Virgil glanced at the other two who appeared to have undergone the same thing. “Well,” he finally said, “this is certainly Logan’s room.”

 

They nodded slowly in agreement. The soft glow of the fireflies left trails of glowing light around them, helping them see more clearly in the dark surrounding them. Virgil quirked a wry grin at one that landed on his nose. He pretended not to hear Patton softly cooing at him to his left as he crossed his eyes to get a better look at it.

 

“I think we’re losing track of why we’re here, my companions.” Roman said. “We still haven’t found Specs.”

 

That was true. They had forgotten their original task the farther they had walked into the field. “Well, where could he be?” asked Patton.

 

“I have an idea.” Virgil spoke up dryly from the side.

 

Roman looked over from where he had been examining a red flower blooming from the base of a tree. “Well don’t just leave us hanging, dark and stormy. Tell us!”

 

Virgil jabbed his thumb to the side of them at an incredibly tall and steep hill. “Pretty sure that’s where our nerd went. It looks like it's the central point of this place.”

 

They looked at the grassy hill and agreed. It really did seem to be the most likely location. Without further prompting, the three began to silently climb it. Sure enough, there was Logan, laying back on the top of the hill on the other side, his eyes closed with the cool wind softly blowing through his hair. Small white flowers dotted the area around him.

 

“Do you think he’s asleep?” Patton finally asked.

 

“How could I be with all the noise you three make?” Logan spoke dryly from where he was laying, finally opening his eyes to look up at them.

 

“Oh, sorry!” Patton replied. “We just wanted to check on you. Oh!” he handed the basket to Logan who took it gently, sitting up finally. “And to give you these! I made chocolate chip cookies, and they’re still warm.”

 

“It’s alright. And thank you, Patton. I appreciate it.” he offered up a small grateful smile.

 

“Logan, what _is_ this place?” Virgil finally asked as they joined him in sitting.

 

Logan sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Well…” He looked up and the others followed his gaze, then gasped.

 

The night sky was _alight_ with stars. They were closer than could be seen on earth, and some had faint white lines connecting them to others, showing constellations. The stars almost completely filled up the sky, but…

 

But that wasn’t the main focus.

 

There, in the center of the sky was a _planet_.

 

_Saturn. A gas giant. The sixth planet from the sun and the second largest in our solar system. Possesses seven rings that surround the planet. The rings are made mostly out of ice and dust particles._

 

It was so _big_ in the sky. It was utterly _breathtaking_ in its magnitude and vibrancy.

 

“It’s…” Virgil starts, then stops. Unable to think of phrasing fitting enough to describe the sight.

 

“It’s _beautiful_.” Roman breathed out in awe, his normal royal persona completely forgotten at the sight. He turned his wide eyes to the logical side, his wonder not fading. “You _made_ this place, Logan?”

 

Logan shifted slightly at the praise. “Well, I suppose I did. Technically, at least.” he adjusted his glasses and continued. “I can view any of the planets I please this way. I merely wished to see Saturn tonight. Of course, that is only possible here. If Saturn was this close in the real world, it would be far more terrifying than beautiful, as the Roche limit would begin to take effect and-”

 

“Hurry up the explanation, nerd, we don’t have all day.” Roman cut in impatiently.

 

Logan glared at him and Roman yelped in surprise. “Ow! What..?” he held up a bleeding finger. He looked down and noticed the flower directly under his hand had grown thorns.

 

“Well, can’t say you didn’t have that coming, Ro.” Virgil said bluntly with a hint of amusement coloring his tone.

 

Roman frowned but didn’t disagree.

 

“Roman, be nice. We _are_ intruding in his room, after all.” Patton admonished.

 

“Alright, alright. Sorry Lo.” Roman eventually muttered, pouting slightly as he nursed his bleeding finger.

 

Logan only rolled his eyes “It’s alright, Roman.”

 

“So…” Virgil cut in again, before they could get off track again. “What is this place, Lo? Has it always been here?”

 

Logan tilted his head as he considered how to properly word his response. “I would say that this place has existed about as long as I have. It has grown and changed over time, and I believe it will continue to do so. As Thomas, and therefore _we_ grow and change.”

 

“Aww, that’s beautiful!” Patton squealed at the notion.

 

“This place isn’t exactly something I’d expect from you, though. This seems more up Princey’s alley than anything.” Virgil comments, his eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion.

 

Logan lets out a small laugh. “Does it? Tell me, have you noticed anything in here so far that hasn’t been something that actually _exists_?” He waits for them to shake their heads before he continues. “My domain is that of fact, and not that of fiction. There are more wondrous things on this earth than are first realized.” he thinks about something silently for a few moments before looking over at them once more. “I suppose there _is_ something I should mention about this place, though.”

 

He sighed as he examined the blade of grass between his fingers. “Cold facts are not my entirety. And I am not solely logic. That is to say, I have not _always_ encompassed logic as my main function, nor is it my only one now.”

 

Patton tilted his head in interest, and spoke what they were all wondering. “What else is there then, Lolo?”

 

Logan felt a small smile take over his face as he prepared to tell them what he had never felt the need to share with anyone else before. “You see, before logic was needed, was _demanded_ , I was something else. I was the wonder of learning new things. Of why the birds chirped in the morning, why the sky was blue and how the stars managed to be so _bright_ from so far away.” he dropped the blade of grass and looked at them directly. His voice was that of someone who was far away and yet still directly in front of them. And they realized at that moment that Logan had never looked more real to them, and at the same time had never looked so _ethereal_.

 

“I was _Curiosity_. Before I was anything else, I was that. And this place is sort of a reflection of that.” He slowly extended a hand and a lone firefly landed softly on his finger and blinked its lights on and off in an almost _cheery_ way. It was as though it was saying hello, before gracefully taking its leave and flying away.

 

“I believe you have all experienced it once or twice since coming here. This place holds all of the knowledge that’s been accumulated over the years. But to learn anything from what’s here, you have to _want_ to know.” He grabbed a cookie from the basket and took a small bite before continuing. “As soon as there’s a desire for knowledge, this place will do its best to give you the answers. There is no selfishness here, no clouding emotions, no judgement, and no dishonesty. The seeking of knowledge will always be welcome here, and the information freely given.”

 

Logan’s face was flushed slightly. Admitting all that he did at once could be risky-

 

“That’s _wonderful_.”

 

His head snapped up to meet Patton’s teary eyed ones. Virgil and Roman weren’t faring much better.

 

“Logan, this place…” Patton seemed to be grasping for the right words. “This place reflects you _so_ well, and I.. I think we’ve been taking you for granted.”

 

Logan blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

 

Virgil was the one to speak up this time. “He means… when you go off on tangents about stuff, or you start talking about space or something for a while, that’s how you show affection isn’t it? It’s like this place. You give information because it’s your lifeblood, and sharing it is how you say you care, right?” he caught Logan’s gaze and held it. “So when one of us cuts you off…”

 

“Well…” Logan started with a sigh. “I won’t say you aren’t correct, however… I do understand. I _do_ tend to talk too much sometimes. And I know that can become annoying.”

 

“Specs.”

 

Their attention was drawn to Roman who had been quietly thinking for a while.

 

“I apologize.” he continued, ignoring their matching faces of surprise, “I can be too harsh to you. I tend to forget that you aren’t actually a robot, and I treat you as though you can’t be affected by my insults. And that is extremely un-princely of me. I can only strive to treat you with the respect you deserve, and to do better in the future.” He offered an honest smile and held his hand out with his pinky out.

 

Logan smiled in amusement and extended his hand and clasped Roman’s pinky with his own. “This is incredibly childish.” he claimed, making no move to let go. “But I must apologize as well. I know I have the tendency to treat you unkindly too. I… will endeavor to improve on that front as well.”

 

 _"This is so pure_.” Patton whispered from the side, a wide smile stretched on his face as they dropped their fingers. “C’mon guys. We should give Lo his privacy back.”

 

Logan raised his hand to stop Patton from getting up. “Um, actually.” he paused. “Would you all like to stay a bit longer? You obviously don’t have to, but-”

 

“We’d love to, dork.” Virgil cut in with a fond smirk on his face.

 

Patton reached forward and wrapped his arms around Logan gently but firmly. “I’m so happy I get to stay here with you longer, Lo.” he let go and smiled at the logical side.

 

“You simply _must_ tell me more about those delightful red flowers I saw on the way in. I want to incorporate them into an adventure idea I’ve been working on for my realm.”

 

Logan smiled shyly under all the positive attention he was receiving. Maybe today really _did_ go better than he first thought. He watched serenely as Virgil began fashioning a flower crown for Patton, as Patton squealed in delight and as Roman had to save the basket from being knocked over from Patton’s excited flailing.

 

He laughed at their antics and pretended not to see their looks of surprise and joy at the sound. And he pretended he didn’t see their fond smiles later when they asked him about Saturn and the constellations that littered the sky. He was more than happy to share his knowledge, and he could tell they were honestly curious.  

 

They spent the night that way, cozy under the stars and the fireflies, and the light of Saturn.

 

Surrounded by, and encompassed in, the warmth of their love.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i appreciate comments! :D


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